3 reasons FSDs are losing sleep this week: Tech troubles

Most would agree that technology is a good thing. But seeing its advantages doesn’t mean being blind to its challenges. Here are a few of the digital developments that may be distracting foodservice directors today—plus a realization that customers don’t necessarily understand the reality of their demands. 

1. How do you train a robot?

It was a big week for robots. Speakers at the South by Southwest Interactive technology conference last week were confident artificial intelligence’s time has come. Futurist Kevin Kelly noted in his general session on the inevitable forces shaping the future that robots would take over productivity jobs, creating new roles for humans—and that we would eventually look back and be ashamed that humans ever did the work that robots inherited.

With budgets a constant source of concern in noncommercial foodservice, the high-tech reality may seem pretty far off. But big chain restaurants are expressing interest and even experimenting with the role of robots in the kitchen and beyond, and their discoveries may be worth watching for volume feeders, as well.

Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s CEO flirted last week with the idea of an all-robotic restaurant. Dominos is gearing up to test a pizza delivery robot in New Zealand. A robot that makes customized tea won McDonald’s startup pitch event at SXSW, earning the company a trip to corporate headquarters to make a formal pitch.

2. Wait, you mean to tell me “clean” food costs more?

It was reported earlier this week that students at six Minnesota schools can expect to pay about 11 percent more for on-campus meals as the demand for more vegan, local, organic and gluten-free meals drive up costs.

How students will react to the price hike remains to be seen, but meal plan costs and food quality at another big university are enough to have nearly 80 percent of its freshmen begging to be off of the meal plan. An online survey posed to freshmen at the University of Pennsylvania found the vast majority wished they didn’t have to be on the mandatory meal plan. The claims: They don’t like being forced to pay $5,000 a year for food they deem not as good for the money as what they could get off campus at a restaurant.

3. Are you ready for a power outage?

It’s one of those things operators may think they’re ready for—until it happens. Last Tuesday, a power outage closed two dining halls on the Baylor University campus for several hours.

While serious losses were averted thanks to powerful commercial equipment keeping food cold, the incident is a reminder to operators—especially as researchers predict increases in power outages in metro areas as the nation’s power grid ages, legislative gridlock continues and weather problems persist.